William Ring of Plymouth

Descendant of Mayflower passengers Stephen Hopkins and Elizabeth Tilley

Parents: Andrew Ring (1618-1693) and Deborah Hopkins (1625-bef. 1675)

Basic information from Ed Burton:

http://homepages.rootsweb.ancestry.com/~edburton/fam03357.htm

Husband: William RING'

• Born: ABT 1652/1653 at:
• Married: 13 JUL 1693 at: Plymouth,Plymouth,Massachusetts,USA
• Died: 1730/1731 at: Plymouth,Plymouth,Massachusetts,USA
• Father:
• Mother:

Wife: Hannah SHERMAN

• Born: 21 FEB 1667/1668 at: Marshfield,Plymouth,Massachusetts,USA
• Died: 8 JUL 1745 at: Plymouth,Plymouth,Massachusetts,USA
• Father:William Jr. SHERMAN
• Mother:Desire DOTY

CHILDREN

1. Name: Deborah RING

• Born: 24 JAN 1695/1696 at: Plymouth,Plymouth,Massachusetts,USA
• Married: at:
• Died: 29 MAY 1696 at: Plymouth,Plymouth,Massachusetts,USA
• Spouses:

2. Name: Hannah RING

• Born: 26 MAY 1697 at: Plymouth,Plymouth,Massachusetts,USA
• Married: at:
• Died: 1 JUN 1715 at: Plymouth,Plymouth,Massachusetts,USA
• Spouses:

3. Name: William RING

• Born: 25 JUL 1699 at: Plymouth,Plymouth,Massachusetts,USA
• Married: at:
• Died: 25 DEC 1728 at: Plymouth,Plymouth,Massachusetts,USA
• Spouses:

4. Name: Elizabeth RING

• Born: 15 FEB 1701/1702 at: Plymouth,Plymouth,Massachusetts,USA
• Married: 20 NOV 1719 at: Plymouth,Plymouth,Massachusetts,USA
• Died: 17 OCT 1775 at: Plymouth,Plymouth,Massachusetts,USA
• Spouses: Joseph PEARCE

5. Name: Eleazer RING

• Born: 16 JAN 1704/1705 at: Plymouth,Plymouth,Massachusetts,USA
• Married: at:
• Died: 3 FEB 1734/1735 at: Plymouth,Plymouth,Massachusetts,USA
• Spouses:

6. Name: Deborah RING

• Born: 5 FEB 1707 at: Plymouth,Plymouth,Massachusetts,USA
• Married: 12 MAY 1737 at: Plymouth,Plymouth,Massachusetts,USA
• Died: 29 AUG 1738 at: Plymouth,Plymouth,Massachusetts,USA
• Spouses: Caleb SHERMAN

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Ben M. Angel notes: The information that follows relates to a William Ring that had nothing to do with Hannah Sherman, and had in fact died in Leiden before Hannah was born (likely here as a result of a mismerge):

William Ring may have turned back to England in 1620 on the Speedwell with Robert Cushman. He probably died in Leiden.

http://www.pilgrimhall.org/

William Ring: Coming to America

Robert Cushman was a member of the Leiden community who spent much time in London helping to make the arrangements for the Mayflower voyage. He was intending to sail to America in 1620 but, when the Speedwell had to be abandoned and a number of passengers left behind, Cushman was among those who chose not to make the voyage.

While the Mayflower and Speedwell were in Dartmouth Harbor in August of 1620, in a futile attempt to make the Speedwell seaworthy, Cushman wrote a letter to Edward Southworth in London. The letter is extremely pessimistic, detailing Cushman's illness, the leaking of the Speedwell, the depletion of the group's food supplies caused by the delay in sailing, the possible misappropriation of funds (with many complaints about Mayflower passenger Christopher Martin), the complaints of the Pilgrims about the terms Cushman negotiated with the merchant adventurers.

He ends "Friend, if ever we make a plantation, God works a miracle, especially considering how scant we shall be of victuals, and most of all ununited amongst ourselves and devoid of good tutors and regiment…If I should write to you of all things which promiscuously forerun our ruin, I should over-charge my weak head and grieve your tender heart. Only this, I pray you prepare for evil tidings of us every day. But pray for us instantly, it may be the Lord will be yet entreated one way or other to make for us. I see not in reason how we shall escape even the gasping of hunger-starved persons; but God can do much, and His will be done. It is better for me to die than now for me to bear it, which I do daily and expect it hourly, having received the sentence of death both within me and without me. Poor William Ring and myself do strive who shall be meat first for the fishes, but we look for a more glorious resurrection…"

This passage indicates that William Ring was part of the original group from Leiden that meant to journey to America in 1620 and that, I August of 1620, he was ailing. Nothing further is known of his fate beyond the fact that Ring was not a passenger on the Mayflower and he had died by 1629/30 when his widow came to America with their three children.

Note: Robert Cushman journeyed to Plymouth on the Fortune in 1621 and, returning to England the same year, lived until 1625.

It is possible that Mary Ring and the three Ring children were also part of the original group that meant to travel to America. William Bradford notes that, when the Speedwell was determined to be unseaworthy,

"…it was resolved to dismiss her [the Speedwell] and part of the company, and proceed with the other ship [the Mayflower]. The which (though it was grievous and caused great discouragement) was put into execution. So after they had took out such provision as the other ship could well stow, and concluded both what number and what persons to send back, they made another sad parting; the one ship [the Speedwell] going back for London and the other [the Mayflower] was to proceed on her voyage. Those that went back were for the most part such as were willing so to do, either out of some discontent or fear they conceived of the ill success of the voyage, seeing so many crosses befall, and the year time so far spent. But others, in regard of their own weakness and charge of many young children were thought least useful and most unfit to bear the brunt of this hard adventure; unto which work of God, and judgment of their brethren, they were contented to submit."

William Bradford, Of Plymouth Plantation 1620-1647, ed.

Samuel Eliot Morison (New York : Knopf, 1991), p. 53.

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Following from:

Individuals from Chrisman Pedigree, page 46

http://www.angelfire.com/or/aleonc/out46.html#RIN9093

The name Ring appears in the register of the Parish of Hoghton, Lancaster Co., England, for m ore than 700 years. There are also Rings in the Registers of Pettistree Co. and Archdeaconr y Court of Suffulk Co. However, in the parish registers of Ufford, Suffolk Co., 1558-1630 are the following entries that are believed to be the same individuals:

• 1601: Wylliam Ringe of Ptetistrey singlman and Marie Durrante of Ufford single woman weare married together the kkj of May" 1602:
• Elizabeth Ringe the daughter of William Ringe and Marie his wife was baptized the xxiij day of Februarie" (1602/3)
• The family of William, Mary and children are believed to have been on the Speedwell during the original voyage of the Mayflower, but were forced to turn back when the Speedwell was unable to make the voyage.
• William, Mary, and several children appear in Leyden by 1614. William was a member of the Separatist or Pilgrim community at Leyden for many years.

Above info from Tom Lincoln (lincoln@@rand.org) via a posting on soc.roots appearing on 15 Nov 1993.

He turned back on the Speedwell in 1620.

• https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/30519944/william-ring